Bishops of Maryland Call on Congress to Pass Immigration Reform

Maryland’s Catholic bishops call on Congress to pass immigration reform as soon as possible, recognizing that an appropriate balance of necessary border safeguards is required with consideration of the human needs of immigrants “who have come to our country seeking the same dream as our own ancestors,” they wrote.

The statement was released in both English and Spanish today at the Annual Conference on Hispanic Ministry sponsored by the Archdioceses of Baltimore and Washington.

“We applaud the U.S. Senate for passing a comprehensive immigration reform bill, and we urge all members of Maryland's delegation in the House of Representatives to support efforts to pass a similar measure as soon as possible,” the bishops wrote. “It is time to fix our broken immigration system and bring from out of the shadows those who labor in our fields, care for our elderly, build and maintain our homes and lawns, and who work tirelessly at jobs many Americans refuse to fill.”

“As the leaders of the three (arch)dioceses serving 1.2 million Catholics in Maryland, we pray that the voice of Maryland's Catholic community will convey hope to our immigrant sisters and brothers, and will inspire our elected officials to act with courage and compassion on their behalf. As Pope Francis has said, ‘We pray for a heart which will embrace immigrants. God will judge us upon how we have treated the most needy.’”

Maryland Catholic Conference advocates for the Church's public policy positions before the Maryland General Assembly and other civil officials. The Conference represents the three dioceses with territory in the state – the Archdiocese of Baltimore, the Archdiocese of Washington, and the Diocese of Wilmington.